Philo, from Philo, Inc., streams live TV on Android for people who want cable-style channels without signing a contract. The Essential plan starts at $25 a month and covers 70+ channels such as AMC, BET, Hallmark, Lifetime, MTV and Nickelodeon, with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. The Bundle+ plan adds HBO Max, AMC+ and discovery+. It needs Android 7.0 or newer and rates Teen.
Cable channels without a contract
The app replaces a traditional TV package with a monthly plan. The Essential plan carries 70+ live channels, including AMC, BET, Hallmark, Lifetime, MTV and Nickelodeon, plus a library of 75,000+ on-demand movies and shows.
New subscribers get a 7-day free trial of Essential. The description also says there are no contracts. A separate set of 120+ free channels can be watched without signing up or entering a credit card.
Bundle+, DVR and ten profiles
Bundle+ adds HBO Max Basic with Ads, AMC+ and discovery+ on top of the Essential lineup. Ad-free add-ons such as Hallmark+, STARZ, MGM+, Movies & More and AllBlk cost extra.
Both plans include unlimited DVR, with recordings kept for up to a year and ads skippable. You can set up 10 profiles, each with its own sign-in, saved shows, watch history and recommendations. Up to 3 devices can stream at once.
What to check before you install
The app is free to download, but watching paid channels needs a subscription, and Google Play flags in-app purchases and ads. It requires Android 7.0 or later and carries a Teen content rating.
Check that the channels you want are in the Essential list, since only a sample is named. The 30-day DVR figure for free content differs from the one-year figure for paid plans, so confirm which applies to you.
Philo pros and cons
Pros
- Free trial of 7 days on the Essential plan
- 120+ free channels with no sign-up or credit card
- Unlimited DVR with recordings kept up to a year
- 10 profiles, each with its own history and recommendations
- No contracts, per the store description
Cons
- Paid channels require a subscription starting at $25/month
- Contains ads and in-app purchases, per Google Play
- Premium add-ons like STARZ and MGM+ cost extra
- Requires Android 7.0 or later
Is Philo safe?
Philo is published by Philo, Inc. under the package name com.philo.philo.google, and you get it by installing from Google Play. It is free to download, shows ads, and offers in-app purchases. Its content rating is Teen. Help and support information is at help.philo.com.
How to install Philo
- Press the Google Play button on this page.
- Check the listing in the Play Store and press Install.
- Open Philo when the install finishes. Updates arrive through Google Play.
